Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-01-29

A Trip Through cine Monaghan Quar-.
ters Of Dayton,

A Trip Through cine 1Rensolian QUAR-.
ters OF Dayton,
Dayton has Chinatown, the same as 1t
is apparently necessary for every weil-regu-
lated town on this coast 10 have. and the
inhabitants Of this Mongolian hot.bed Of
corruption celebrate their New Year in much
the same manner, we expect, As do all Chi.
namen. Attracted by curiosity. the firing
of boms and the illumination Of the houses,
a TIMES reporter visited Chinatown last
Saturday night to learn, If possible. in wha,
form the ceremonies are conducted. There
was not much ceremony to the affair. The
first place that attracted notice by its bril-
liant and many colored lights, was the new
Masonic Temple or Joss House. Upon
gaining an entrance to this place it was
found that the tables therein were loaded
down with green and dried fruits, roast pig,
chicken, etc., and the proprietors or watch
ers Of the place were, some Of them engaged
in eating, and others in preparing other in.
delicacies, while on hunks in one Of the
farther corners Of the room were couple OF
almon. eyed opium fiends, quietly enjoying
their Pipes OF opium. Being satisfied that
there was nothing more 20 see in this place,
others were visited, and description oil
some Of them would be utterly impossible.
At one house, probably q bakery or cook
shop, half dozen or more men were en-
gagged in mixing pastry and cooking vegeta.
bles and meats. 1t was sickening opera
lion to witness, for they were into the dough
and soup kettles up 10 their elbows. Every
now and then one Of the cooks ~ would
mop the Precipitation from his heated brow
with a wad OF dough, and another one
would take bite from a turnip OF carrot
that he was preparing for the soup. The
place was suffocatingly warm, and the fumes
OF opium and the smoke from the fire made
it impossible to tarry for any great length OF
time. Once again in open air the scribe
wendell his way through the ms and outs oil
the alleys until he found himself on trap
door, through the cracks Of which came
feeble rays of light. Lifting this door a
food OF vile air rushed up from the under.
ground abode that obscured from the gaze
objects not two feet distant. Descending a
fight OF ten or a dozen rickety steps another
pot boiling act was found to be going on,
while on one OF the hunks, in a semi-stupi
fed state, lay "Holly," the celestial fish
peddler, smoking his pipe OF opium. For a
pillow he used the basket OF fish and crabs
which he probably sold around town the
next day to the heightened Americans who
could not possibly live in this country if it
was not for the "nice little brown men" that
live here too. He made no move until
found that he was recognized, then he wished
us happy New Year. Different here! The
reporter asked him for pull at his pipe.
and he Immediately rolled a wad Of dope,
fixed it on the pipe and offered it to us,
which is evidence that he had little fear OF
the law which is supposed to prohibit the
use or sale Of this stuff. The pipe was of.
lered to an accompanying friend, but he, as
we'll as the reporter, declined, and the at
mosphere by this time being quite thick, we
clambered up the stairs and once more
sought the fresh air. Continuing our pros
pecting trip the masioH dc j0ie owned by
Hop Lee was soon reached, wherein were
domciled two Asiatic cyprians and their
lovers. Through an opening in the small
window it was seen that the occupants Of The
room were indulging in love feast-all eat
ing out of the same dish--of mess that it
would take an expert gastriloquist seventeen
weeks to analyze. This ended investiga-
tons for that evening, and we returned to
civilization, declaring that a superabund-
ance would be a superluity.